Mitigation of screen burn-in for a foldable ihs

ABSTRACT

Certain IHSs (Information Handling Systems) may utilize displays that are foldable. Foldable displays may utilize OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display technology, which is particularly susceptible to screen burn-in. Embodiments implement procedures for mitigation of screen burn-in of a foldable display. When folded, a foldable display is logically divided into screen portions based on the locations of the folds. Embodiments mitigate screen burn-in separately in each these screen portions that are created by folding the display. A gap may be displayed along the length of the folds of a folded display, thus separating the different screen portions. Embodiments may implement procedures for mitigating screen burn-in from displaying such a gap. Embodiments may also determine screen portions of a folded display that are actively in use and may implement procedures for mitigating screen burn-in in inactive portions of the folded display.

FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to Information Handling Systems(IHSs), and more specifically relates to IHSs utilizing foldabledisplays.

BACKGROUND

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individualsand businesses seek additional ways to process and store information.One option is an Information Handling System (IHS). An IHS generallyprocesses, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data forbusiness, personal, or other purposes. Because technology andinformation handling needs and requirements may vary between differentapplications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled,how the information is handled, how much information is processed,stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the informationmay be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allowfor IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific usesuch as financial transaction processing, airline reservations,enterprise data storage, global communications, etc. In addition, IHSsmay include a variety of hardware and software components that may beconfigured to process, store, and communicate information and mayinclude one or more computer systems, data storage systems, andnetworking systems.

IHSs may provide visual outputs to users via various types of integratedand external displays. Until recently, the displays used by IHSs haveonly been flat, rigid displays. Certain IHSs now utilize foldabledisplays allowing the display, and in certain instances the IHS, to befolded. Foldable displays provide for easier transport and storage of anIHS. In some instances, foldable IHSs may remain operational while fullyunfolded and also while partially unfolded. Certain foldable IHSsincorporating foldable displays may also provide processing, memory,networking and other I/O capabilities that allow the foldable IHS to beused as a standalone system and may thus be used in a variety ofoperating scenarios ranging from use as a laptop to use as a handheld.

In certain instances, the displays utilized by IHSs may be affected byscreen burn-in results from the prolonged display of static content. Forinstance, the prolonged display of a non-moving image, such as a channellogo displayed during television programming, may result in the imagebeing permanently imprinted in the display, or may reduce the imagequality that may be supported by the affected pixels of the display.Techniques such as screensavers may be used to randomize the contentthat is displayed during intervals when the IHS is not being activelyused. Different display technologies vary in their susceptibility toscreen burn-in.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) includes: afoldable display folded along a folded portion into a first screenportion and a second screen portion; a logic unit configured viafirmware instructions to determine a posture of the IHS; and a processorconfigured via software instructions to: determine, based on theposture, content to display in the first screen portion and in thesecond screen portion; select a pattern to display as a gap between thefirst screen portion and the second screen portion; display the selectedpattern along the folded portion of the foldable display, wherein thedisplayed pattern creates the gap between the first screen portion andthe second screen portion; and periodically modify the pattern that isdisplayed to create the gap between the first screen portion and thesecond screen portion.

In additional IHS embodiments, the periodic modification of the patternprevents permanent imprinting of the displayed gap in the pixels alongthe folded portion of the foldable display. In additional IHSembodiments, the pattern is modified by randomly modifying a displayoutput of pixels of the foldable display that display the pattern. Inadditional IHS embodiments, the modifications of the display output ofthe pixels are selected to be imperceptible to a user viewing thefoldable display. In additional IHS embodiments, the pattern is modifiedvia selection of patterns from a cyclic buffer of available patterns. Inadditional IHS embodiments, the patterns are selected from the cyclicbuffer at a frequency that is matched to the frame refresh rate of thefoldable display.

In various additional embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS)includes: a foldable display folded along a folded portion into a firstscreen portion and a second screen portion; a logic unit configured viafirmware instructions to determine a posture of the IHS; and a processorconfigured via software instructions to: determine, based on theposture, content to display in the first screen portion and in thesecond screen portion; designate the first screen portion or the secondscreen portion as an active screen portion based on detected useractivity; designate as an inactive screen portion the first screenportion or the second screen portion that is not designated as theactive screen portion; and periodically shift the content displayed inthe inactive screen portion.

In additional IHS embodiments, the logic unit is further configured bythe firmware instructions to detect the user activity and determinewhether the user activity is directed at the first screen portion or thesecond screen portion. In additional IHS embodiments, the logic unit isfurther configured to detect a gaze of the user. In additional IHSembodiments, the logic unit is further configured to determine whetherthe user activity is directed at the first screen portion or the secondscreen portion based on a direction of the gaze of the user. Inadditional IHS embodiments, the direction of the gaze of the user isdetermined based on images captured by a camera of the IHS. Inadditional IHS embodiments, the processor is further configured viasoftware instructions to initiate a first graphics process for displayof content in the first screen portion and to initiate a second graphicsprocess for display of content in the second screen portion.

In various additional embodiments, a method mitigates screen burn-in ofa foldable display of an IHS (Information Handling System), wherein thefoldable display is folded along a folded portion into a first screenportion and a second screen portion, the method includes: determiningcontent to display in the first screen portion and in the second screenportion; selecting a pattern to display as a gap between the firstscreen portion and the second screen portion; displaying the selectedpattern along the folded portion of the foldable display, wherein thedisplayed pattern creates the gap between the first screen portion andthe second screen portion; and periodically modifying the pattern thatis displayed to create the gap between the first screen portion and thesecond screen portion.

In additional embodiments, the method further includes: designating thefirst screen portion or the second screen portion as an active screenportion based on detected user activity; designating as an inactivescreen portion the first screen portion or the second screen portionthat is not designated as the active screen portion; and periodicallyshifting the content displayed in the inactive screen portion. Inadditional embodiments, the method further includes determining whetherthe user activity is directed at the first screen portion or the secondscreen portion. In additional embodiments, the method further includes:detecting a gaze of the user; and determining whether the user activityis directed at the first screen portion or the second screen portionbased on a direction of the gaze of the user. In additional embodiments,the method further includes initiating a first graphics process fordisplay of content in the first screen portion; and initiating a secondgraphics process for display of content in the second screen portion. Inadditional method embodiments, the pattern is modified by randomlymodifying a display output of pixels of the foldable display thatdisplay the pattern. In additional method embodiments, the pattern ismodified via selection of patterns from a cyclic buffer of availablepatterns. In additional method embodiments, the patterns are selectedfrom the cyclic buffer at a frequency that is matched to the framerefresh rate of the foldable display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention(s) is/are illustrated by way of example and is/arenot limited by the accompanying figures, in which like referencesindicate similar elements. Elements in the figures are illustrated forsimplicity and clarity, and have not necessarily been drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting certain components of an IHSutilizing a foldable display and configured according to variousembodiments for mitigation of screen burn-in the foldable display.

FIG. 2A is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a closed posture.

FIG. 2B is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a fully open posture.

FIG. 2C is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a partially open posture.

FIG. 3A is an illustration of a foldable IHS in a fully open postureutilizing a single-screen display.

FIG. 3B is an illustration of a foldable IHS in a fully open posturewhile utilizing a dual-screen display.

FIG. 3C is an illustration of a foldable IHS in a partially open postureutilizing a single-screen display.

FIG. 3D is an illustration of a foldable IHS in a partially open posturewhile utilizing a dual screen display.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart describing certain steps of a process according tovarious embodiments for mitigation of screen burn-in of a foldabledisplay of an IHS.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For purposes of this disclosure, an IHS may include any instrumentalityor aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, calculate,determine, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate,switch, store, display, communicate, manifest, detect, record,reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, ordata for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example,an IHS may be a personal computer (e.g., desktop or laptop), tabletcomputer, mobile device (e.g., Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or smartphone), server (e.g., blade server or rack server), a network storagedevice, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape,performance, functionality, and price. An IHS may include Random AccessMemory (RAM), one or more processing resources, such as a CentralProcessing Unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, Read-OnlyMemory (ROM), and/or other types of nonvolatile memory.

Additional components of an IHS may include one or more disk drives, oneor more network ports for communicating with external devices as well asvarious I/O devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, touchscreen, and/or avideo display. An IHS may also include one or more buses operable totransmit communications between the various hardware components. Anexample of an IHS is described in more detail below. FIG. 1 shows anexample of an IHS configured to implement the systems and methodsdescribed herein according to certain embodiments. It should beappreciated that although certain IHS embodiments described herein maybe discussed in the context of a personal computing device, otherembodiments may be utilized.

As described, internal and external displays used by IHSs may sufferfrom screen burn-in due to prolonged display of non-moving, staticcontent. Also as described, certain IHSs may utilize displays that arefoldable. In certain instances, foldable displays utilize OLED (organiclight-emitting diode) display technology. Different display technologiesare susceptible to screen burn-in to varying degrees and OLED displaysare particularly susceptible to screen burn-in. Accordingly, embodimentsmay implement procedures for mitigation of screen burn-in of a foldabledisplay. When folded, a foldable display may be logically divided intodifferent screen portions based on the locations of the folds.Embodiments may mitigate screen burn-in in different of these screenportions created by folding of a display.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating certain components of an IHS 100configured according to certain embodiments for mitigation of screenburn-in of a foldable display 108 of the IHS 100. In variousembodiments, IHS 100 may include an embedded controller 120, graphicsprocessor 107 and a sensor hub 114 that may each executes programinstructions that cause these components to perform certain of theoperations disclosed herein. As described in additional detail withregard to FIGS. 3A-D, IHS 100 includes an integrated foldable display108 that may be configured to operate according to different screenmodes that may utilize a gap that divides the foldable display intoseparate portions, where the gap may be displayed along the length ofthe folded portion of the display.

IHS 100 includes one or more processors 101, such as a CentralProcessing Unit (CPU), that execute code retrieved from a system memory105. Although IHS 100 is illustrated with a single processor 101, otherembodiments may include two or more processors, that may each beconfigured identically, or to provide specialized processing functions.Processor 101 may include any processor capable of executing programinstructions, such as an Intel Pentium™ series processor or anygeneral-purpose or embedded processors implementing any of a variety ofInstruction Set Architectures (ISAs), such as the x86, POWERPC®, ARM®,SPARC®, or MIPS® ISAs, or any other suitable ISA.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the processor 101 includes an integratedmemory controller 118 that may be implemented directly within thecircuitry of the processor 101, or the memory controller 118 may be aseparate integrated circuit that is located on the same die as theprocessor 101. The memory controller 118 may be configured to manage thetransfer of data to and from the system memory 105 of the IHS 100 via ahigh-speed memory interface 104. In certain embodiments, power toprocessor 101 and/or system memory 105 may be turned off, or configuredto operate at a minimal power level, in response to IHS 100 entering alow-power operating state.

The system memory 105 that is coupled to processor 101 provides theprocessor 101 with a high-speed memory that may be used in the executionof computer program instructions by the processor 101. Accordingly,system memory 105 may include memory components, such as such as staticRAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), NAND Flash memory, suitable forsupporting high-speed memory operations by the processor 101. In certainembodiments, system memory 105 may combine both persistent, non-volatilememory and volatile memory. In certain embodiments, the system memory105 may be comprised of multiple removable memory modules.

IHS 100 utilizes a chipset 103 that may include one or more integratedcircuits that are connect to processor 101. In the embodiment of FIG. 1,processor 101 is depicted as a component of chipset 103. In otherembodiments, all of chipset 103, or portions of chipset 103 may beimplemented directly within the integrated circuitry of the processor101. Chipset 103 provides the processor(s) 101 with access to a varietyof resources accessible via bus 102. In IHS 100, bus 102 is illustratedas a single element. Various embodiments may utilize any number ofseparate buses to provide the illustrated pathways served by bus 102.

As illustrated, a variety of resources may be coupled to theprocessor(s) 101 of the IHS 100 through the chipset 103. For instance,chipset 103 may be coupled to a network interface 109 that may supportdifferent types of network connectivity. In certain embodiments, IHS 100may include one or more Network Interface Controllers (NIC), each ofwhich may implement the hardware required for communicating via aspecific networking technology, such as BLUETOOTH, Ethernet and mobilecellular networks (e.g., CDMA, TDMA, LTE). As illustrated, networkinterface 109 may support network connections by wired networkcontrollers 122 and by wireless network controller 123. Each networkcontroller 122, 123 may be coupled via various buses to the chipset 103of IHS 100 in supporting different types of network connectivity, suchas the network connectivity utilized by the operating system of IHS 100.

Chipset 103 may also provide access to an integrated foldable display108 and one or more external displays 113 via a graphics processor 107.In certain embodiments, graphics processor 107 may be comprised within avideo card, graphics card or within an embedded controller installedwithin IHS 100. In certain embodiments, graphics processor 107 may beintegrated within processor 101, such as a component of asystem-on-chip. Graphics processor 107 may generate display informationand provide the generated information to one or more display device(s)108, 113 utilized by IHS 100.

The IHS 100 utilizes an integrated display device 108 that is a foldabledisplay, allowing the user to fold the display to a closed position, orto a partially open or a fully open position. As described in additionaldetail with regard to the below embodiments, based on the configurationin which IHS 100 is folded, IHS 100 may be used in different screenmodes that may logically divide the folded display along the folds. Incertain embodiments, the integrated foldable display device 108 mayutilize OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology, or anotherdisplay technology that supports flexible displays that may be folded asdescribed herein. In certain embodiments, the integrated foldabledisplay 108 may be capable of receiving touch inputs such as via a touchcontroller that may be an embedded component of the foldable displaydevice 108, graphics processor 107 or a separate component of IHS 100accessed via bus 102. In certain embodiments, IHS 100 may also supportuse of one or more external displays 113, such as external monitors thatmay be coupled to IHS 100 via various types of wired and wirelessconnections.

As described, display devices may be susceptible to screen burn-in tovarying degrees based on the display technology used by a device. Inmany instances, foldable displays utilize OLED (organic light-emittingdiode) technology. Such OLED displays are particularly susceptible toscreen burn-in, especially in comparison to displays utilizing standardLED display technology. As described in additional detail below,embodiments provide techniques for mitigating screen burn-in forfoldable displays, such as the foldable display device 108 that mayutilize OLED technology.

Other components of IHS 100 may include one or more I/O ports 116 thatsupport removeable couplings with various types of peripheral externaldevices and systems. For instance, I/O 116 ports may include USB(Universal Serial Bus) Type-C ports, by which a variety of externaldevices may be coupled to IHS 100. I/O ports 116 may include varioustypes of ports and couplings that support connections with externaldevices and systems through temporary couplings via ports accessible toa user via the enclosure of the IHS 100.

Chipset 103 also provides processor 101 with access to one or morestorage devices 119. In various embodiments, storage device 119 may beintegral to the IHS 100, or may be external to the IHS 100. In certainembodiments, storage device 119 may be accessed via a storage controllerthat may be an integrated component of the storage device. Storagedevice 119 may be implemented using any memory technology allowing IHS100 to store and retrieve data. For instance, storage device 119 may bea magnetic hard disk storage drive or a solid-state storage drive. Incertain embodiments, storage device 119 may be a system of storagedevices, such as a cloud drive accessible via network interface 109.

As illustrated, IHS 100 also includes a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)117 that may be stored in a non-volatile memory accessible by chipset103 via bus 102. Upon powering or restarting IHS 100, processor(s) 101may utilize BIOS 117 instructions to initialize and test hardwarecomponents coupled to the IHS 100. The BIOS 117 instructions may alsoload an operating system for use by the IHS 100. The BIOS 117 providesan abstraction layer that allows the operating system to interface withthe hardware components of the IHS 100. The Unified Extensible FirmwareInterface (UEFI) was designed as a successor to BIOS. As a result, manymodern IHSs utilize UEFI in addition to or instead of a BIOS. As usedherein, BIOS is intended to also encompass UEFI.

In certain embodiments, chipset 103 may utilize one or more I/Ocontrollers 110 that may each support hardware components such as userI/O devices 111. Such I/O devices 111 may be integrated components ofIHS 100 or the I/O devices 111 may be external components that may betemporarily coupled to IHS 100. For instance, I/O controller 110 mayprovide access to one or more user I/O devices 110 such as a keyboard,mouse, touchpad, touchscreen, microphone, speakers, camera and otherinput and output devices that may be coupled to IHS 100. Each of thesupported user I/O devices 111 may interface with the I/O controller 110through wired or wireless connections.

As illustrated, certain IHS 100 embodiments may utilize a sensor hub 114or other logic unit capable of determining the relative orientationand/or movement of IHS 100 based on various sensor inputs. For instance,sensor hub 114 may utilize inertial movement sensors 115, that mayinclude accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer sensors capable ofdetermining the current orientation and movement of IHS 100 (e.g., IHS100 is motionless on a relatively flat surface or IHS 100 is being movedirregularly and is likely being held by a user). In certain embodiments,sensor hub 114 may also include capabilities for determining a locationand movement of IHS 100 based on triangulation of network signals andbased on network information provided by the operating system or by anetwork interface 109. In some embodiments, sensor hub 114 may supportadditional sensors, such as optical, infrared and sonar sensors, thatmay provide support for xR (virtual, augmented, mixed reality) sessionshosted by the IHS 100 and may be used by sensor hub 114 to provide anindication of a user's presence in proximity to IHS 100. For instance,in certain embodiments, sensor hub 114 may indicate whether a user iscurrently facing a portion of the integrated foldable display 108 and isthus in a position to utilize IHS 100.

As described, IHS 100 utilizes a foldable display 108 that may be foldedsuch that the display may be logically divided into distinct portionsalong the folds of the display. In certain embodiments, sensor hub 114may support various techniques for tracking user activity in order toidentify when a user is actively using the IHS 100 and, moreparticularly, when a user is actively using a particular portion of afoldable display 108. In certain embodiments, sensor hub 114 may utilizea user tracking 121 capability that tracks the gaze of the user. Forinstance, sensor hub 114 may access a camera device of IHS 100 in orderto capture images of the user and to determine the direction of theuser's gaze. Based on such gaze direction information, sensor hub 114may determine whether a user is viewing a particular portion of afoldable display. In certain embodiments, sensor hub 114 mayadditionally or alternatively utilize various other inputs fordetermining the portion of a folded display that is in active use. Forinstance, sensor hub 114 may further deduce the portion of a foldeddisplay that is actively in use based on the user's mouse, keyboard,voice, touchscreen or other inputs.

Through folding of display 108 at different angles about a hinge orother folding mechanism, multiple different configurations for using theIHS 100 may be supported. As described in additional detail with regardto FIGS. 3A-D, an IHS utilizing a foldable display may be configured foruse as a single-screen display or as a dual-screen display that splitsthe foldable display into two virtual displays along the length of thefold of the display. When folded in such a manner, the IHS 100 may bephysically configured for use in different modes or postures. In certainembodiments, sensor hub 114 may include a mode sensor 112 that providesa determination of the current mode in which the IHS 100 is physicallyconfigured. Such determinations may be made by the sensor hub 114 basedon movement and orientation information provided by the inertialmovement sensors 115 and further based on the angle at which the hinge,or other folding mechanism, is currently folded.

Sensor hub 114 may utilize a mode sensor 112 that determines the currentangle of the hinge and thus the angle at which the display 108 iscurrently folded. Based upon this angle of rotation of a hinge from aclosed position, the sensor hub 114 may determine the mode in which theIHS 100 is configured. For instance, a first range of angles of rotationfrom a closed position may indicate a book configuration and a secondrange of angles may indicate a fully open configuration that may beoriented in a landscape or portrait orientation. The sensor hub 114 mayadditionally utilize orientation and movement information to determinethe mode in which the IHS 100 is physically configured. For instance, ifthe sensor hub 114 determines the IHS 100 is configured with a hingeangle indicating use in a book mode, but the IHS 100 is oriented suchthat one portion rests on a flat surface and, due to the fold, the otherportion is pointed upwards, the IHS may be determined to be in a laptopconfiguration. If the IHS 100 is determined to be tiled towards a user'sface and is experiencing slight movement, the sensor hub 114 maydetermine with relative certainty that the IHS 100 is being used in abook mode configuration. In this same manner, the sensor hub 114 mayutilize movement and orientation information to confirm that an unfoldedIHS 100 is immobile and resting on a flat surface and is thus likelybeing used in fully open posture.

In certain embodiments, sensor hub 114 may be an independentmicrocontroller or other logic unit that is coupled to the motherboardof IHS 100. In such embodiments, sensor hub 114 may communicate withvarious sensors and chipset 103 of processor 101 via a bus connectionsuch as an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) bus or other suitable type ofmulti-master bus connection. In certain embodiments, sensor hub 114 maybe a component of an integrated system-on-chip incorporated intoprocessor 101 and may utilize an 12C bus for communicating with sensors,such as the mode sensor 112, inertial measurement sensors 115 andsensors used for determining a user's presence near the IHS 100. Sensorhub 114 may collect and processes data from such sensors using datafusion techniques in order to determine the posture in which the IHS 100is currently positioned.

As illustrated, IHS 100 embodiments may utilize an embedded controller120 that may be a motherboard component of IHS 100 and may include oneor more logic units. Firmware instructions utilized by embeddedcontroller 120 may be used to operate a secure execution environmentthat may include operations for providing various core functions of IHS100, such as power management, docking, management of operating modes inwhich IHS 100 may be physically configured and support for certainintegrated I/O functions. In certain embodiments, embedded controller120 may implement operations for interfacing with a power adapter 124 inmanaging power for IHS 100. Such operations may be utilized to determinethe power status of IHS 100, such as whether IHS 100 is operating frombattery power or is plugged into an AC power source.

In various embodiments, an IHS 100 does not include each of thecomponents shown in FIG. 1. In various embodiments, an IHS 100 mayinclude various additional components in addition to those that areshown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, some components that are represented asseparate components in FIG. 1 may in certain embodiments instead beintegrated with other components. For example, in certain embodiments,all or a portion of the functionality provided by the illustratedcomponents may instead be provided by components integrated into the oneor more processor(s) 101 as a systems-on-a-chip.

FIG. 2A is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a closed posture. As illustrated, a foldable IHS may beclosed in a similar manner to a book or binder such that the IHS isdivided into two portions along a central fold 215. The outer surface205 of the foldable IHS may be an enclosure constructed of various typesof plastic and/or metallic compounds. When folded as illustrated, thefoldable display is protected within the closed outer surface 205, thussafeguarding the foldable display for transport or storage. In theprofile view 210 of the closed posture, the two portions of the foldableIHS are rotated towards each other about the central fold 215 to theirfullest extent. In certain instances, the central fold 215 may include ahinge that allows the two portions of the IHS to be folded and unfoldedby a user.

FIG. 2B is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a fully open posture. Configured in this posture, thefoldable display 220 is operational and provides the maximum availabledisplay area. In FIG. 2B, the foldable IHS is illustrated in a landscapeorientation, in which the longest side of the display is horizontal. Thefoldable IHS may also be oriented in a portrait orientation, in whichthe longest side of the display is vertical. As illustrated in theprofile view 225, in the fully open posture, the central fold 230 isopened to approximately 180 degrees. In this posture, the foldable IHSmay be laid flat on a surface, propped up on a stand, or docked. Incertain instances, a dock for use with a foldable IHS may include acradle in which the foldable IHS may be placed while in a fully openposture such that the foldable IHS may remain in use while docked.

FIG. 2C is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a partially open posture. As illustrated in the profileview 240, in the partially open posture, the central fold 245 is openedless than 180 degrees. The display 235 is divided into two portionsalong the fold 250 created by rotation of a hinge or other structure ofthe central fold 245. When partially open, the foldable IHS may be stoodupright on a flat surface (e.g., similar to a hinged pair of pictureframes that may be stood upright for display) or may be held by user ina manner similar to a book. Despite the fold 250 in the display 235, theentire foldable display 235 may remain functional. However, the contentdisplayed along the length of the fold 250 may be distorted. Inaddition, as the display is folded further towards a closed position,the content displayed along the length of the fold 250 may become moredifficult for a user to see. A similar effect is present in books thathave an insufficient inner margin separating the text from the spine ofthe book.

FIG. 3A is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configured in afully open posture and for use of a single-screen display. As describedwith regard to FIG. 1, embodiments of a foldable IHS may includecapabilities for determining the posture in which a foldable IHS isphysically configured. For instance, the posture of the foldable IHS maybe determined based on sensor information providing the angle at whichthe display is folded and information regarding the orientation,position and movement of the foldable IHS. Based on such postureinformation, a screen mode may be determined that is appropriate for aparticular posture. For instance, in FIG. 3A, the foldable IHS is in afully open posture such that the display 305 is fully unfolded. Asillustrated in the profile view 310, the hinge 315 supporting a centralfold is opened to 180-degrees such that the foldable IHS may be laid ona flat surface, propped upwards, or docked.

As illustrated, in such a configuration, foldable display 305 may beutilized as a single screen that uses the full display 305.

FIG. 3B is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configured in afully open posture and for use of a dual-screen display. As reflected inthe profile view 310, the foldable IHS remains in a fully open posturewith the hinge 315 in a fully open position and the display 305 fullyunfolded. Whereas in FIG. 3A, the display 305 is used for a singlescreen, in FIG. 3B, the display 305 is divided into two screen portions345 a-b. As described in additional detail with regard to FIG. 4, afoldable IHS may determine the application content to display in each ofthe screen portions 345 a-b based on considerations such as the postureof the foldable IHS and the applications that are currently being usedto display content. In addition, a foldable IHS according to embodimentsmay mitigate screen burn-in of the screen portions 345 a-b throughseparately shifting the content displayed in each of these dual-screenportions and also through modification of a patent of pixel displayoutputs that are used to display the gap 340 separating the screenportions 345 a-b.

In certain instances, the foldable IHS may be configured to split thedisplay along the central fold 315 such that each of the portions 345a-b may be utilized as a separate screen. In some instances, thefoldable IHS may be configured such that content from differentapplications may be shown in each of the portions 345 a-b. For instance,a text editing application may be shown in the left-hand portion 345 aand a web browser may be shown in the right-hand portion 345 b. However,in certain instances, the foldable IHS may be configured such thatcontent from a single application is shown in both portions 345 a-b ofthe display 305. For instance, a reading application may show a page oftext in the left-hand portion 345 a and the following page of text inthe right-hand portion 345 b, similar to a conventional book.

The determination regarding whether to utilize the display 305 in asingle screen or dual screen configuration may be based on theapplication that is currently selected for display by the user. Forinstance, applications for gaming or streaming video may indicate use ofa single screen, such as in FIG. 3A. However, concurrent use ofdifferent applications (e.g., a photo editing application and a webbrowser) or use of a reading application may indicate use of dualscreens, such as in FIG. 3B. As described in detail with regard to FIGS.3D and 4, the two screen portions 345 a-b may be separated by a gap 340that is a separator, such as a suitable pixel pattern, that is displayedby the foldable display along the length of the hinge 315.

FIG. 3C is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configured in apartially open posture and utilizing a single-screen display. As in thepartially open posture of FIG. 2C, the profile view 330 illustrates thepartially open hinge 335 that results in a fold 325 in the display 320.Similar to the single-screen display utilized in the fully open postureof FIG. 3A, the full display 320 may be utilized as a single-screendespite the fold 325 in the display 320. Embodiments may configure thesingle-screen use of the foldable IHS as illustrated in FIG. 3C based onthe applications being displayed by the user. For instance, the displayof a streaming video player may result in the full single-screen displayof the video content as long as the screen is folded less than a certainthreshold.

FIG. 3D is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configured in apartially open posture while utilizing a dual-screen display. Asdescribed, the ability for the user to properly view content displayedalong the length of a fold may be compromised to different degrees basedon the angle at which the display is folded and by the application thatis being used to display information. Accordingly, as described withregard to FIG. 3D, the folded display 320 may be divided into twoportions 345 a-b along the length of fold created through bending thedisplay 320 at the central hinge 335. Also as described, the twoportions 345 a-b of the folded display 320 may be separated by a gap 340that runs along the length of the fold 325. The displayed gap 340 servesto separate the content of each screen portion 345 a-b. In certaininstances, each of the portions 345 a-b may be treated as separate,non-interacting displays such that content from one portion cannot bemoved to another portion through a user input such as via drag-and-dropmouse operations. In other instances, each of the portions 345 a-b maybe treated as portions of an extended display that is separated by gap340 and that allows for content to be moved between two portions 345a-b.

In scenarios where the current posture of the foldable IHS indicates theuse of a dual-screen mode, such as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the portions345 a-b of the display resulting from the fold may be separated by a gap340 that is displayed along the length of the fold in the display 305.In certain embodiments, the gap 340 may be a rectangular shape or imagethat is displayed along the length of the fold 325 of the folded display305. For instance, the gap 340 may be generated through display of arectangular pattern that may be positioned along the length of the foldsuch that the gap 340 is centered above the hinge 335. Variousembodiments may employ various techniques for displaying the gap 340that separates the display 305 into two screen portions 345 a-b.

As described, foldable displays 305 utilizing OLED display technologiesmay be vulnerable to experiencing screen burn-in. In displaying a gap340 that separates the screen portions 345 a-b, a pattern or other typeof image may be displayed along the fold of the foldable display 305. Ifthis pattern or image is displayed for a prolonged period of time,significant screen burn-in may occur within the pixels of the foldabledisplay 305 that are used to display the gap. When in dual-screen modesuch that a gap 305 is present, one of the portions 345 a-b may bepredominately utilized such that the content displayed in the otherportion may remain relatively static for prolonged periods. Accordingly,foldable displays may be particularly susceptible to screen-burn in,both in the gaps separating portions of the screens and in theindividual screen portions.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart describing certain steps of a process according tovarious embodiments for mitigation of screen burn-in of a foldabledisplay of an IHS. As described, a foldable IHS may include variouscapabilities for detecting changes to the posture in which the foldableIHS is physically configured for use. For instance, a foldable IHSutilizing a hinge or other mechanical structure to support folding ofthe IHS may utilize a hinge angle sensor to detect any folding orunfolding of the IHS. As described with regard to FIG. 1, a sensor huband/or an embedded controller may determine a posture of the foldableIHS based in part on the reported hinge angle. For instance, a fullyfolded hinge angle may correspond to a closed posture, such asillustrated in FIG. 2A, a partially folded hinge angle may correspond toa partially open posture, such as illustrated in FIG. 2C, and a fullyopen hinge angle may correspond to a fully open posture, such asillustrated in FIG. 2B.

In addition to tracking the folding and unfolding of the IHS the postureof the foldable IHS may be based on the positioning of the foldable IHS.For instance, the movement of a foldable IHS to the partially open bookposture of FIG. 2C may be determined based on detected movementsindicating the foldable IHS is being held by a user in a partially openconfiguration with the foldable IHS oriented such that the fold isvertical. Additional indications of use of the foldable IHS in a bookposture may be indicated through detection of a central axis of symmetryof the user's face in approximate alignment with the axis of the fold ofthe IHS. As described, the foldable IHS may also utilize sensors capableof detecting when the IHS is motionless and has been placed on a flatsurface or has been propped such that the display faces the user.

In certain instances, a foldable IHS may be docked either through awired coupling, such as a USB-C connection, or via a cradle thatreceives the foldable IHS. An embedded controller of the foldable IHSmay detect changes to the docking status of the IHS. In certain foldableIHSs that utilize a docking cradle, the foldable IHS may remain usablewhile docked, but may be limited to a specific posture supported by thecradle, such as the fully open posture of FIG. 2B. Accordingly, adocking status of the foldable IHS may dictate the posture in which theIHS may be configured and may also dictate the orientation of the IHS.

In response to detecting any of such types of changes in the use of theIHS, at block 405, the current posture of the IHS may be determined.Once the posture of the foldable IHS is determined the applicationscurrently being used to display information are determined. In certaininstances, consideration may be given to all applications with graphicaluser interfaces that are currently visible to a non-negligible degree inthe display. In other instances, considerations may be given only toapplications determined to occupy at least a specific portion of theoperating system desktop and that are also actively in use. Wheremultiple applications are concurrently visible on the operating systemdesktop, the applications that are actively in use may be determinedbased on the percentage of the desktop that is being used to displayeach of the applications. Applications occupying only negligibleportions of the desktop may be considered an inactive, whileapplications occupying large portions of the desktop may be consideredactive. Other indications of applications that are actively in use maybe determined based on the recency of inputs to a user interface of theapplications.

Once the active applications are determined, any displayed preferencesfor the active applications may be identified. In certain scenarios,different applications may be associated with different displaypreferences. For instance, applications for watching streaming video orfor gaming may be associated with a preference for display using asingle-screen mode, even if the display is partially folded and somedistortion will occur along the length of the fold. However, suchpreferences may also specify that if the IHS is folded beyond a certainthreshold, then display of the streaming video or gaming content viadual-screen mode is preferred. Similarly, a text editing, spreadsheet,document viewer or graphic design application may be associated with apreference for single-screen mode as long as the IHS is in a fully openposture, but may prefer display via a dual-screen mode if the display isin a partially open posture. As described, a reading application may beassociated with a full-screen mode in scenarios where the foldable IHSis fully open and oriented in a portrait orientation, but may beassociated with a dual-screen mode where the IHS is oriented in alandscape orientation, regardless of whether the IHS is in a fully openposture or a partially open posture.

Based on the display preferences of the visible applications and furtherbased on the current posture of the foldable IHS, at block 410,embodiments may determine whether to split the foldable display into adual-screen mode operation. In certain scenarios, a single-screendisplay may be selected instead of a dual-screen display. For instance,in a scenario where the foldable IHS is in a fully open posture and thedisplay preferences of the predominantly visible application indicate apreference for a single-screen display, at block 415, embodiments maydetermine to utilize the display in a single-screen mode. If use of asingle-screen is determined, based on the orientation of the foldableIHS relative to the user, embodiments may further determine whether todisplay the single-screen in a landscape or portrait orientation.

In other scenarios, a dual-screen display may be selected based on theposture of the foldable IHS and the applications that are beingdisplayed. For instance, certain applications may be associated withpreference for use of a dual-screen display as soon as the display isfolded beyond a certain point. In one example, an application may beassociated with a preference for use of dual-screen displays anytime thedisplay is opened less than 150 degrees from a closed posture. Asdescribed, a dual-screen display may be selected under various posturesof the foldable IHS and the applications that are displaying content.

In instances where the current posture of the foldable IHS and thedisplay preferences associated with the visible applications indicatethe use of a dual-screen mode, at block 420, embodiments may determinethe applications to display in each of the portions of the dual-screendisplay. For instance, in scenarios where two applications aredetermined to be actively in use and visible within the operating systemdesktop, embodiments may assign each of the two applications to aseparate screen of the two dual-screen portions. In scenarios where oneapplication is determined to be predominantly in use and otherapplications are also actively used to a lesser extent, embodiments mayassign the predominantly used application for display to one dual-screendisplay while the other active applications are displayed as tiledwindows within the other dual-screen display. In scenarios where theapplication in use is a reading application and the foldable IHS isconfigured in a book posture, both of the dual-screen displays may beused for display by the reading application.

In certain embodiments, an IHS may implement the described dual-screendisplay capabilities via separate graphics processes that each supportthe display of content in one of the screen portions. The separategraphics processes may operate according to the graphics capabilities ofthe underlying operating system of the IHS and may thus interoperate asdescribed, such that the user may move content between the displayportions in a manner similar to an extended display. As described inadditional detail below, the use of separate graphics processes for eachscreen portion of a folded display supports a capability by which ascreen burn-in mitigation procedure may be executed by the graphicsprocess for an inactive screen portion while another graphics processsimultaneously displays the content that is actively in use in an activescreen portion of the folded display.

As described, when configured for dual-screen displays, the portions ofthe display used for each of the screens may be separated by a gap thatis displayed by the foldable IHS along the length of the fold. Incertain embodiments, a gap may be displayed through the display of apattern or other type of image along the length of the fold thatseparates the display into the dual-screens. At block, 425, the patternor other type of image to be displayed as a gap is selected. In certainembodiments, the pattern may specify a pattern of display outputs forthe pixels that are being used to display a gap. In certain instances,the pattern may appear to a user as a solid rectangular block of uniformcolor. However, such pixel patterns may nonetheless include variationsin the pixel outputs, such as variations in color, that areimperceptible to a user. In other instances, a pattern may be utilizedwhere certain aspects of the pattern are discernible by a user, such asa pattern comprised of lines of pixels of alternating shades of aparticular color. Various other types of patterns may be utilized forthe display of a gap.

Once a pattern has been selected for displaying a gap, at block 430, thepattern is displayed by the pixels along the length of the fold of thefoldable display. In certain embodiments, the width of the displayed gapmay vary based on the angle at which the display is folded. Displayed inthis manner, the pattern creates a gap that separates the portions ofthe foldable display. However, as described, prolonged display of such apattern may result in screen burn-in within the pixels of the foldabledisplay that are used to display the gap. Even though the size of adisplayed gap may be modified in response to changing the angle at whicha foldable display is folded, a gap may nonetheless be displayed forlong periods of time. Accordingly, at block 435, the pattern used todisplay the gap may be periodically modified in a manner that preventsburn-in of the displayed gap.

In certain embodiments, the patterns to be displayed as a gap may beselected from a buffer that specifies a library of patterns that may beutilized to display a gap of particular dimensions. In certainembodiments, the periodic modifications to a gap may be implemented bycycling through the buffer that specifies the library of availablepatterns. In some embodiments, the periodic modifications of the patternused to display a gap may be synchronized or otherwise matched to therefresh rate of the foldable display. For instance, with each refresh ofthe foldable display, a pattern for refreshing the gap may be selectedfrom the buffer, with the selections iteratively cycling through each ofthe patterns maintained in the buffer. In certain embodiments, insteadof updating the gap pattern with every refresh of the foldable display,patterns may be selected from the buffer and used to refresh thedisplayed gap at regular intervals that are compatible with framerefresh rate of the foldable display. In this manner, the pattern usedto display the gap may be modified with sufficient frequency to preventburn-in and without being perceptible to the user.

In some embodiments, a gap may be periodically modified through randommodifications to the pixels used to display the gap. For instance, atperiodic intervals a selection of the pixels used to display a gap mayhave their display outputs randomly adjusted within a range of displayoutputs. In certain of such embodiments, these ranges of display outputsmay be selected such that variations within a range are imperceptible,or at least non-distracting, to a user viewing the foldable display. Forinstance, the range of display outputs may specify a range of colorsfrom true black to gray that may be used to display a gap that isperceived as a rectangle of a uniform color. When selected from such arange, the display outputs of pixels used to display the gap may beperiodically adjusted sufficient to prevent screen burn-in, with theseadjustments remaining imperceptible to a user. In certain embodiments,pixels used to display a gap may be periodically selected at random forsuch modifications. In other embodiments, pixels may be selectedsystematically for such periodic modifications.

In addition to preventing screen burn-in of the gap portion of a foldeddisplay, embodiments may also mitigate the effects of screen burn-inwithin the dual-screen portions of the folded display. In certainembodiments, such mitigation procedures may be employed on portions ofthe folded display that are not actively in use. At block 440, theportion of a folded display that is actively in use may be identified.Even though a user may regularly refer to content displayed in bothportions of a folded display, a user typically only views one of theseportions at a time. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the portion of adual-screen display that is actively in use may be determined bytracking the gaze of the user. As described with regard to FIG. 1, anIHS may utilize sensors capable of tracking the direction of the user'sgaze, thus providing the ability to determine the portion of thefoldable screen on which the user's vision is directed. Based on suchgaze information, one of the portions of the foldable screen may bedesignated as an active portion.

In certain embodiments, an active screen portion may be additionally oralternatively determined based on other types of user activity. Forinstance, by detecting the application windows that are receiving mouse,keyboard, touchscreen and/or voice inputs form the user, the portion ofa foldable display that is actively in use may be further determined. Incertain embodiments, an active screen portion may be determined based ona user's gaze and confirmed using the detection of such additional userinputs. Once a screen portion has been designated as the active screenportion, the other portion(s) of the foldable display are designated asinactive screen portions.

At block 445, the screen portions designated as inactive may beperiodically modified in a manner that mitigates screen burn-in. Withthe user's attention focused on an active screen portion, modificationsmay be made to the inactive screen portions without the user'sawareness. For instance, in certain embodiments, the content displayedwithin inactive screen portion may be periodically shifted such that theshifting is imperceptible to the user focusing on the active screenportion. Other embodiments may utilize various other techniques formodifying the content of the inactive screen portion in a manner thatmitigates screen burn-in and that is not perceptible to a user focusingon an active screen portion.

As described, certain embodiments may utilize separate graphicsprocesses for managing the display of content in each of the screenportions that result from folding of the display. In certain of suchembodiments, the graphics process for each portion of the folded displaymay utilize a technique or procedure for preventing screen burn-in thatis suited to the content being displayed in the respective portion ofthe foldable display. For instance, in a dual-screen display in which areading application is used to display text in both screen portions, thegraphics process for each portion may implement the same technique forpreventing screen burn, such as the described periodic shifting of pixeloutputs. However, in a scenario where text is displayed in one portionof a foldable display and streaming video is displayed in anotherportion, the graphics process of the screen portion displaying the textmay utilize screen shifting while the graphics process displaying thestreaming video in the second screen portion may utilize a differenttechnique that is only activated if the streaming video is detected asbeing paused or otherwise stopped.

The described embodiments support a foldable display with a single,central fold. However, additional embodiments may support a foldabledisplay with multiple folds. For instance, a foldable IHS according toembodiments may include two hinges that allow the foldable display twobe divided into three portions by the folds. In the same manner asdescribed herein, a screen mode may be determined such that asingle-screen display may be utilized (with this single-screen displaypotentially including two folds) if the foldable IHS is in a partiallyopen or fully open posture. Based on the applications in use and theangles of the folds, a tri-screen display may be utilized, with each ofthe three screen portions separated by gaps running the length of thefolds. Also, in the same manner as described herein, screen burn-in maybe mitigated by periodically modifying each of the displayed gaps and/orthrough periodic modification of content displayed in inactive portionsof the folded display.

It should be understood that various operations described herein may beimplemented in software executed by processing circuitry, hardware, or acombination thereof. The order in which each operation of a given methodis performed may be changed, and various operations may be added,reordered, combined, omitted, modified, etc. It is intended that theinvention(s) described herein embrace all such modifications and changesand, accordingly, the above description should be regarded in anillustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

The terms “tangible” and “non-transitory,” as used herein, are intendedto describe a computer-readable storage medium (or “memory”) excludingpropagating electromagnetic signals; but are not intended to otherwiselimit the type of physical computer-readable storage device that isencompassed by the phrase computer-readable medium or memory. Forinstance, the terms “non-transitory computer readable medium” or“tangible memory” are intended to encompass types of storage devicesthat do not necessarily store information permanently, including, forexample, RAM. Program instructions and data stored on a tangiblecomputer-accessible storage medium in non-transitory form may afterwardsbe transmitted by transmission media or signals such as electrical,electromagnetic, or digital signals, which may be conveyed via acommunication medium such as a network and/or a wireless link.

Although the invention(s) is/are described herein with reference tospecific embodiments, various modifications and changes can be madewithout departing from the scope of the present invention(s), as setforth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figuresare to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense,and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scopeof the present invention(s). Any benefits, advantages, or solutions toproblems that are described herein with regard to specific embodimentsare not intended to be construed as a critical, required, or essentialfeature or element of any or all the claims.

Unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used toarbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus,these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or otherprioritization of such elements. The terms “coupled” or “operablycoupled” are defined as connected, although not necessarily directly,and not necessarily mechanically. The terms “a” and “an” are defined asone or more unless stated otherwise. The terms “comprise” (and any formof comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any formof have, such as “has” and “having”), “include” (and any form ofinclude, such as “includes” and “including”) and “contain” (and any formof contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linkingverbs. As a result, a system, device, or apparatus that “comprises,”“has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more elements possesses those oneor more elements but is not limited to possessing only those one or moreelements. Similarly, a method or process that “comprises,” “has,”“includes” or “contains” one or more operations possesses those one ormore operations but is not limited to possessing only those one or moreoperations.

1. An Information Handling System (IHS) comprising: a foldable displayfolded along a folded portion into a first screen portion and a secondscreen portion; a logic unit configured via firmware instructions todetermine a posture of the IHS; and a processor configured via softwareinstructions to: determine, based on the posture, content to display inthe first screen portion and in the second screen portion; select apattern to display as a gap between the first screen portion and thesecond screen portion; display the selected pattern along the foldedportion of the foldable display, wherein the displayed pattern createsthe gap between the first screen portion and the second screen portion;and periodically modify the pattern that is displayed to create the gapbetween the first screen portion and the second screen portion.
 2. TheIHS of claim 1, wherein the periodic modification of the patternprevents permanent imprinting of the displayed gap in the pixels alongthe folded portion of the foldable display.
 3. The IHS of claim 1,wherein the pattern is modified by randomly modifying a display outputof pixels of the foldable display that display the pattern.
 4. The IHSof claim 3, wherein the modifications of the display output of thepixels are selected to be imperceptible to a user viewing the foldabledisplay.
 5. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the pattern is modified viaselection of patterns from a cyclic buffer of available patterns.
 6. TheIHS of claim 5, wherein the patterns are selected from the cyclic bufferat a frequency that is matched to the frame refresh rate of the foldabledisplay.
 7. An Information Handling System (IHS) comprising: a foldabledisplay folded along a folded portion into a first screen portion and asecond screen portion; a logic unit configured via firmware instructionsto determine a posture of the IHS; and a processor configured viasoftware instructions to: determine, based on the posture, content todisplay in the first screen portion and in the second screen portion;designate the first screen portion or the second screen portion as anactive screen portion based on detected user activity; designate as aninactive screen portion the first screen portion or the second screenportion that is not designated as the active screen portion; andperiodically shift the content displayed in the inactive screen portion.8. The IHS of claim 7, wherein the logic unit is further configured bythe firmware instructions to detect the user activity and determinewhether the user activity is directed at the first screen portion or thesecond screen portion.
 9. The IHS of claim 8, wherein the logic unit isfurther configured to detect a gaze of the user.
 10. The IHS of claim 9,wherein the logic unit is further configured to determine whether theuser activity is directed at the first screen portion or the secondscreen portion based on a direction of the gaze of the user.
 11. The IHSof claim 10, wherein the direction of the gaze of the user is determinedbased on images captured by a camera of the IHS.
 12. The IHS of claim10, wherein the processor is further configured via softwareinstructions to initiate a first graphics process for display of contentin the first screen portion and to initiate a second graphics processfor display of content in the second screen portion.
 13. A method formitigation of screen burn-in of a foldable display of an IHS(Information Handling System), wherein the foldable display is foldedalong a folded portion into a first screen portion and a second screenportion, the method comprising: determining content to display in thefirst screen portion and in the second screen portion; selecting apattern to display as a gap between the first screen portion and thesecond screen portion; displaying the selected pattern along the foldedportion of the foldable display, wherein the displayed pattern createsthe gap between the first screen portion and the second screen portion;and periodically modifying the pattern that is displayed to create thegap between the first screen portion and the second screen portion. 14.The method of claim 13, further comprising: designating the first screenportion or the second screen portion as an active screen portion basedon detected user activity; designating as an inactive screen portion thefirst screen portion or the second screen portion that is not designatedas the active screen portion; and periodically shifting the contentdisplayed in the inactive screen portion.
 15. The method of claim 14,further comprising: determining whether the user activity is directed atthe first screen portion or the second screen portion.
 16. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising: detecting a gaze of the user; anddetermining whether the user activity is directed at the first screenportion or the second screen portion based on a direction of the gaze ofthe user.
 17. The method of claim 12, further comprising: initiating afirst graphics process for display of content in the first screenportion; and initiating a second graphics process for display of contentin the second screen portion.
 18. The method of claim 13, wherein thepattern is modified by randomly modifying a display output of pixels ofthe foldable display that display the pattern.
 19. The method of claim13, wherein the pattern is modified via selection of patterns from acyclic buffer of available patterns.
 20. The method of claim 19, whereinthe patterns are selected from the cyclic buffer at a frequency that ismatched to the frame refresh rate of the foldable display.